The What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth forms part of the government’s initiative to measure the effectiveness of policies and increase value for money of as much as £200bn worth of public spending.
The project will analyse and evaluate policies intended to boost the economy in areas such as skills, regeneration, housing and employment.
Ministers want to give councillors and officers in local government evidence about what actions work. The centre will also improve evaluation to help determine which decisions are most effective in what locations.
Ahead of today’s launch, local growth minister Kris Hopkins said strengthening local economies was the government’s ‘top priority’.
He added: ‘This government has changed the economic landscape by giving local councils and business not just the money but the powers to end their dependency on Whitehall and drive their own economies.
‘We want to ensure local leaders have all the information they need to use these powers, and the What Works Centre will provide the evidence they need to boost jobs, skills and business.’
Business minister Michael Fallon said it was important to know the impact of the government’s policies as it attempts to rebalance the economy away from over-reliance on London and the Southeast.
‘The What Works Local Growth Centre will provide government with a robust evidence base from which to design effective policy,’ he added.
Centre director Henry Overman said there was a large evidence base covering local growth policy areas like skills, housing and employment, but it could be overwhelming for policymakers. ‘The What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth will help local decision makers use the available evidence to make better informed decisions about which policies are most likely to drive local growth and where.’
The Department for Local Government and Communities is funding the centre, along with the Department from Business, Innovation and Skills and the Economic and Social Research Council.
Three other What Works initiatives are planned, covering crime reduction, active ageing and early intervention.
These were announced by Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander in March. They will be joined by two existing bodies – the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and the Educational Endowment Foundation – in a network to improve the evidence for policies across the public sector.
